Dear Members and fellow anaplastology colleagues:

We hope this letter finds you safe and well. As you’re all aware, we are living in an unusual and uncertain time as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IAA Board of Directors and committees have consulted and begun to organize alternative ways for members to gather, share, and learn. We hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to participate and be supported by the IAA community.

Next week, we will begin to host virtual gatherings that will be delivered in three different formats: Virtual Town Hall, Webinars, and Online Training Courses. Here is a brief look at how these formats will differ from each other:

Virtual Town Hall meetings are open to all IAA Members and non-members at no cost. The meeting will follow an agenda with pre-determined discussion topics. Discussion topics will be announced during the week prior to the Virtual Town Hall. Participants may contribute questions or comments related to these discussion topics prior to the meeting by e-mailing them to [email protected].

Webinar registration fees, if any, will vary between webinars. For those webinars requiring a registration fee, rates will differ for IAA Members versus non-members. Webinars will be presented in a lecture format, where one or multiple instructors will present educational material relevant to anaplastology and quality patient care.

Online Training Course registration fees will vary from course to course. Rates will differ for IAA Members versus non-members. OTCs will be presented in a lecture format; however, the duration of the course may be 3-6 hours per day, for one or multiple days.  Attendees will be provided with a course schedule and materials list prior to the course. Presenters will organize and deliver their instruction similarly to a “hands-on” workshop, accounting for and adapting the course to a virtual classroom setting. Take-away literature and materials will vary from course to course.

We invite you to join us next week on Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. EDT (GMT-4) for the IAA’s first Virtual Town Hall meeting! The meeting will be moderated by member Amanda Behr, MA, CMI, FAMI, CCA. Amanda is a past-President of the IAA and current BCCA Director. The agenda for next week’s meeting will cover the following topics:

  • Orientation – IAA virtual gatherings hosted on the GoToMeeting conferencing platform.
  • Protocols for disinfecting silicone prostheses, as reported by several practitioners
  • Recommendations presented in the American Dental Association (ADA) Infection Control Webinar
  • BCCA recommendations for Patient Care in response to COVID-19 (referencing CDC and ADA guidance)
  • What’s on your mind? How has COVID-19 impacted your practice? Do you have questions, concerns, or suggestions for how anaplastologists should approach treatment protocols upon returning to practice?
We encourage you to email questions or comments related to these topics by Friday, April 12th to [email protected]. The meeting host will share your contribution with the group for discussion (identity of contributor will not be shared). We hope you will choose to join us for this event, as we aim to come together in this difficult time and make the most of these circumstances.

Please see the attached IAA Virtual Gatherings – Instruction Guide for details about how to access these events and ensure you are prepared for an optimal audio-visual experience online.

We would also like to announce that the IAA will be hosting an ONLINE ANNUAL CONFERENCE this summer in place of the in-person conference that was originally scheduled to take place in Lima, Perú. In coming weeks, the IAA will share the conference program schedule and registration rates, as well as details for presenters and sponsors. Please stay tuned for these announcements.

Again, we hope that you'll explore and participate in these virtual opportunities. Now, more than ever, the IAA Board of Directors wants you to know we are here for you and you are on our minds. We are working hard to make sure our members feel connected and supported. There is so much we have to look forward to and we can't wait to spend time with you as we move ahead.

Warm regards,

IAA Board of Directors